Gymnastics Jumps
In gymnastics, a jump is an action where a child uses their leg muscles to propel their body off the ground, performing various shapes in the air before landing. Proper landing technique, like the motorbike landing, is important in gymnastics to prevent injuries and improve body control. It teaches children to land softly with balance and control, which is vital for performing more advanced gymnastics skills such as jumps, turns, and other dynamic movements.
- Motorbike landing is great for teaching children how to land softly and maintain control and balance. The skill is important for many dynamic movements, especially when jumping or hopping. The motorbike landing should be introduced in the early years, as it teaches children to land safely and with control. By Year 2, children should be able to master this skill, as it forms the foundation for more complex jumping and landing techniques.
- Straight jump can be introduced in the early years and used to develop more advanced gymnastics jumping skills in the upper primary years.
- Star jump develops body control as children learn to extend their limbs while maintaining balance in the air. It can be introduced in the early years and used as a progression for more advanced gymnastics skills in the upper years.
- Tuck jump is a gymnastics skill that develops power, coordination, and body control in the air. It can be introduced in Year 3 and Year 4, and further developed throughout the upper primary years. Mastering this skill builds the foundation for more advanced gymnastics skills and dismounts that require strong, controlled landings.
- Straddle jump is a powerful gymnastics skill that develops flexibility and body control in the air. It can be introduced in Year 3 and 4, and is a great progression for linking to other jumping and turning skills in gymnastics routines.
- Split jump is a more advanced gymnastics skill that builds strength, flexibility, and body control. It is often used in gymnastics routines and dance sequences. It can be introduced in Year 3 and 4 as a progression for the straight jump skill, and further developed throughout the upper primary years.
Teaching cues
Motorbike Landing
- Arms out in front of you like you're holding onto bike handles.
- Land softly with knees slightly bent, feet flat and your body angled forward (like riding a bike).
- Look straight ahead where you're landing.
- Stand tall and keep your back straight.
- Try to land without making a noise, like a ninja!
Straight Jump - A basic gymnastics skill that forms the foundation for more advanced jumping techniques. It focuses on jumping straight up while keeping the body aligned, with arms reaching overhead and legs squeezed tightly together.
- Bend and swing: bend your knees and swing your arms back.
- Jump and squeeze: jump and swing your arms up straight to squeeze your ears, legs together.
- Motorbike landing: land softly with bent knees and arms in front to balance.
Star Jump - A dynamic skill that involves jumping into the air and opening the arms and legs wide, creating a "star" shape with the body.
- Bend and swing: bend your knees and swing your arms back.
- Jump and stretch: jump up and stretch your arms and legs out wide like a ‘star’.
- Motorbike landing: land softly with bent knees and arms in front to balance.
Tuck Jump - Involves jumping vertically and bringing the knees up towards the chest. The tuck jump challenges children to generate enough height for the knee tuck and then return to a controlled landing position.
- Bend and swing: bend your knees and swing your arms back.
- Jump and tuck: jump up high and tuck your knees to your chest.
- Motorbike landing: land softly with bent knees and arms in front to balance.
Straddle Jump - Involves jumping vertically and kicking both legs out to the sides, aiming to make a wide "V" shape. The arms reach forward or out to the sides for balance.
- Bend and swing: bend your knees and swing your arms back.
- Jump and kick: jump up high and kick your legs out wide like a big 'V'.
- Motorbike landing: land softly with bent knees and arms in front to balance.
Split Jump - Involves jumping into the air and kicking one leg forward and the other backward, both staying straight, to create a split position in the air.
- Bend and swing: bend your knees and swing your arms back.
- Jump and split: jump up and kick one leg forward and one leg back, keeping both legs straight.
- Motorbike landing: land softly with bent knees and arms in front to balance.
Teaching strategies
Motorbike Landing
- Start by practicing the motorbike landing from a small, two-feet standing jump.
- Encourage children to focus on bending their knees and keeping their feet flat to ensure a controlled landing.
- Practice jumping onto soft mats or from a very small height.
Straight Jump
- Introduce and reinforce the motorbike landing position.
- Practice jumping on the spot, focusing on bending the knees and landing softly.
- Encourage children to focus on keeping their body tall ("like a straight pencil") during the jump.
Star Jump
- Introduce and reinforce the motorbike landing position.
- Practice the jumping motion first without fully extending the arms and legs, focusing on timing and coordination.
- Encourage children to focus on quickly opening the arms and legs to create the “star” shape.
Tuck Jump
- Start by practicing small jumps and lifting knees slightly.
- Use visual prompts or hands-on cues, such as "can you tap your knees mid-jump" to encourage the tuck.
- Practice jumping on the spot, then gradually increase height of jump.
Straddle Jump
- Practice sitting or standing leg straddles to build flexibility.
- Start with small jumps, focusing on kicking legs wide and controlling the landing.
- Use markers on the ground to aim for wide leg positions.
Split Jump
- Practice straight-leg kicks on the spot (without jumping) to improve flexibility and leg control.
- Begin with small split jumps focusing on form over height.
- Use visual cues like lines or markers to help with leg direction.
Motorbike Landing
- Experiment with different types of jumps and landings (e.g., jumping and landing in hula hoops or targets).
- Play a game where children focus on landing silently and balancing afterward.
- Set up a "landing zone" and challenge children to land softly into that area.
Straight Jump
- Set up a soft landing area for children to practice jumping and landing in with control (e.g., a soft mat, sand or grassed area).
- Create jumping challenges to encourage children to perform their straight jump with more height.
Star Jump
- Use a mirror or visual prompts to help students understand the star shape and body positioning.
- Encourage more height in the star jump.
Tuck Jump
- Place a soft object (like a foam block) on the ground for children to jump and "tuck over" as a visual cue.
- Practice in front of mirrors or with peer feedback to check for knee height and body posture.
Straddle Jump
- Practice jumps in front of mirrors to help children see their leg shape.
- Encourage proper arm swing to increase power and height of jump.
Split Jump
- Practice split jumps on soft mats to build confidence in landing.
- Use mirrors for children to observe their leg height and straightness.
- Add rhythm or counts to help time the jump and leg split.
Motorbike Landing
- Introduce higher jumps or jumping from a height (e.g., a bench or box), focusing on maintaining the motorbike landing technique.
- Encourage children to experiment with jumping from varying distances and adding a run-up.
- Incorporate the motorbike landings into other gymnastics skills, like jumps, dismounts, or forward rolls.
Straight Jump
- Incorporate straight jumps into movement sequences or routines.
- Set up a landing challenge where children need to land softly and balance for a few seconds after each jump.
- Have children perform a straight jump dismount from a low height (e.g., jump and land from a step or small box).
Star Jump
- Introduce using the star jump as a dismount from a low step, box or beam (jump and land safely from a small height).
- Incorporate the star jump into a gymnastics movement sequence or routine.
Tuck Jump
- Include tuck jumps in gymnastics movement sequences or floor routines.
- Introduce run-ups or jumps from a low height (e.g., low box, step or beam) while maintaining tuck form.
- Introduce variations like double tuck jumps or combining tuck with turn elements.
Straddle Jump
- Incorporate straddle jumps into gymnastics movement sequences or routines.
- Introduce a run-up or dismount straddle jump (running and jumping, or jumping from a low height onto the ground).
Split Jump
- Focus on height and leg extension while maintaining posture.
- Include split jumps in gymnastics movement sequences or routines.
Skill criteria
Motorbike Landing
- Arms extended forward during the landing.
- Knees slightly bent to absorb the landing.
- Feet flat on the ground, body angled forward.
- Soft/quiet landing, maintaining balance.
Straight Jump
- Arms swing back before jumping and straight up overhead during the jump.
- Legs stay together, and body remains tall throughout the jump.
- Soft landing with knees slightly bent and arms in front for balance.
Star Jump
- Arms and legs fully extended wide, creating a “star” shape.
- Maintains stability and control in the air.
- Soft landing with knees bent, feet flat and arms in front to balance.
Tuck Jump
- Knees tuck up high towards the chest.
- Arms swing to increase power and height in the jump.
- Controlled, soft landing with knees bent and balanced posture.
Straddle Jump
- Legs kick out wide in a straight “V” shape.
- Arms swing up to support balance and height.
- Body stays upright and controlled.
- Soft landing with knees bent and arms in front.
Split Jump
- Legs stay straight in the air - one leg kicks forward, one leg kicks back.
- Arms swing to assist with lift and control.
- Body stays upright in the air.
- Soft, balanced landing with knees bent and arms in front.
Common errors
Motorbike Landing
- Landing with straight legs instead of bending the knees.
- Not focusing on keeping the body angled forward.
- Landing too hard, making a lot of noise, or losing balance.
- Not extending arms forward.
Straight Jump
- Jumping with legs apart or not keeping them together.
- Landing too hard, without bending the knees to absorb the impact.
- Not keeping arms straight overhead, or swinging them incorrectly during the jump.
Star Jump
- Not fully extending the arms and legs, resulting in a small or incomplete jump.
- Jumping without control, leading to an uncontrolled landing or lack of balance.
- Landing too hard or stiff, not absorbing the impact with bent knees.
- Not swinging the arms back enough before jumping, which can affect the height of the jump.
Tuck Jump
- Not lifting knees high enough into the tuck.
- Arms not coordinated – not swinging or flailing mid-air.
- Losing balance or control on landing.
- Jumping forward instead of vertically.
Straddle Jump
- Legs not straight.
- Not kicking wide enough.
- Leaning too far forward in the air.
- Losing balance on landing.
- Not swinging arms back before take-off, reducing power and height of jump.
Split Jump
- Bending knees in the air.
- Leaning the body too far forward or backward.
- Landing with stiff legs or losing balance.
- Not getting enough height to create the split shape.
